Prime Minister Edi Rama’s statement to reporters following the Parliament’s session as lawmakers voted for him to be also the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs:

 

What SMS has been sent to Mr. Berisha that you said has put him to trouble today?

PM Rama: I don’t know what SMS are you talking about, since I didn’t mention any SMS at all. Meanwhile, I would like to say that the today’s vote was the result of a forced choice following the President’s refusal to decree the new Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Having said this, I want to make it clear to the public opinion that with the lack of a Constitutional Court and while waiting for the new Constitutional Court to be formed and institutionally tackle the violation of the Constitution by the President of the Republic I was forced to take such a decision, being convinced on one hand that the new cabinet’s project should not be damaged and, on the other hand, that no other new Foreign Minister should be appointed for a relatively short period.

 

Mr. Rama, will you ever go to your new office?

PM Rama: I will talk and tell more about this in the coming days. We have already prepared the lawsuit. Indeed, there will be a number of lawsuits that will be taken to the Constitutional Court against a number of violations committed by the President of the Republic, including the concrete case, because this is an issue that needs to be resolved clearly and definitively given that the President of the Republic has decided to act in contravention of all the tradition of the President’s office and all his predecessors, whether the head of state belonged to a party, or another party or above the parties. Nobody has done this before.

 

Will you assume the Foreign Minister’s role or will you delegate competencies to any deputy minister?

PM Rama: Be patient until I take oath then I will continue with other issues.